Inking mechanism for printing-presses.



J. F. MAHLSTEDT.

INKING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, 1911.

Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co..\vAsHlNGToN. D, C.

J. F. MAHLSTEDT.

INKHIG MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES. APPLIGATION PIILED JUN-E 13, 1911.

1 ,O87,24=9. Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASH1NGTON, D. c.

J. F. MAHLSTBDT. HIKING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 13, 1911.

,1 ()8"7 24 9 Patented Feb. 17, 1914,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

77 I J60; Jaye/@7511- COLUMBIA PLANOQRAP H co.. WASHINGTON. n. c.

- UNIT S ATES PATENT FEQ.

JOHN F. MAHLSTEDT, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

INKING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING-PRESSES.

osieae.

To all whom it may concern shown and described a printing machine adapted for printing letters, circulars, and the like in which the heading of the letter may be printed wlth ordinary prlnting 1nk of any desired color, the body of the letter printed with an inked ribbon to imitate typewriting, and the signature printed with ink which will give the effect of writing. In a printing machine of this character it is important, for best results, to apply suiiicient ink to that part of the form which prints the heading of the letter, and one of the,

main objects of the present invention is to provide an extra inking roller whereby two inking rollers will apply ink to that part of the form so that the heading will have the proper amount of ink. As the body portion of the form is printed through a ribbon which ribbon travels with the form, it is necessary that the additional inking roller should not come in contact with the ribbon, and a further object of the present invention is to provide means for automatically lifting the additional roller when the ribbon portion of the form approaches it so that the additional roller does not make contact with the ribbon.

Another important object of my invention is to provide means for printing, in addition to the heading, body, and signature, as above described, an additional body of matter below the signature, such additional matter to be printed by the ribbon, and have the same appearance as the body of the letter. Thus the additional matter may be a post-script, or the title of the party signing the letter, as for example, Vice-president, the said title being printed to imitate the typewriting,

similar to that employed in the body of the letter. The machine shown in my said former application, did not embody any means for printing such additional matter below the signature. And in accomplishing Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 13, 1911.

Patented Feb. 17,1914. Serial No. 632,969.

it in the present case I cause the ribbon to pass through a slot in the signature block, pass over the said additional matter, thence pass to the ribbon spool. In other Words, starting from the lower end of the sheet the ribbon passes over the top of the added mat ter below the signature, then passes through a horizontal slot in the signature block, and under the signature, thence over the body of the letter, thence down through a slot and under the heading portion of the letter and on to the other ribbon spool. As the signature is to be inked from an inking roller, and as the added matter below the signature lies close to the signature, it is necessary that the roller which inks the signature be raised at the proper time to permit theadded matter below the signature to pass under the inking roller, otherwise the ribbon would come in 7 contact with this inking roller, and a further object of the present invention is to automatically lift this inking roller at the proper time so that it does not come in con tact with the ribbon which passes over that part of the letter which lies below the signa ture, and after the ribbon which covers the lower part of the letter has passed the inking roller, to permit the inking roller to drop to its normal inking level so that it will come in contact with the inking disk and receive its supply of ink therefrom, to be again lifted upon the return movement of the form so as to clear the ribbon covering the lower part of the form and then descend to ink the signature at the proper point.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide for equipping machines having cylindrical forms, with the automatic inking roller controlling means, whereby, as the cylindrical form rotates the inking roller will be lifted out of inking position while the ribbon portion of the form passes under the inking roller, and the inking roller will be automatically lowered to an inking position at the proper time after the ribbon has passed under it so that it will apply ink to the heading portion of the letter and then be automatically raised again to clear the ribbon as the latter again passes under the inking roller.

The printing machine herein shown is not restricted in its use to printing imitation typewritten letters, but may also be employed in printing circulars, dodgers, etc., in which the entire body is printed by type which are inked directly from inking rollers, no ribbon being employed. 'When the machine is so used it is obvious that a much greater amount of ink must be used than when only the heading is inked directly from the inking roller, and to provide for a suilicient inking, I construct the inking rollers at each end of the form so that they may be adjusted toward each other, so that the form in making a complete reciprocation will pass twice under at least two rollers and thus be adequately inked. The center portion of the form for a very short distance may receive more than the other portions, but the other portions of the form receive at least two applications of the ink.

Another object is to provide eccentric means for lifting and adjusting the pres sure of the inking rollers against the type.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on an enlarged scale, through the upper portion of the machine omitting the receiving table at one end, and the inking disk at the other end. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the machine showing the heading portion of the form exposed, the ribbon covering the body portion and the two inking rollers which operate to ink the heading portion. Fig. 4 is a section on line ca -50 Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a perspective in detail of the rocking support for the auxiliary inking roll. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the rotary form of the machine equipped with the invention. Fig. 7 is a section on line va c Fig. 6.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 1 designates the bed which is slidable on the frame 2. Mounted on the bed and traveling therewith are ribbon spools 3 and 4, carrying the ribbon 5. The spools may be rotated with any desired mechanism. 6 designates the type which print the heading of the letter; 7 designates the type which print the body of the letter; 8 designates the electrotype which prints the signature, and 9 designates the type which prints the added matter below the signature. The type are carried in a suitable chase 10, secured to the bed in any desired manner. 11 is a plate below the chase, the plate 11 acting as a support for the type. The ribbon 5 passes from the ribbon spool 3 under the bed 1, and type 6, thence up through a slot 12, formed in the bed, and through a slot 13, formed in the plate 11, and through a slot 14 formed in a ribbon division block 15, which fills a space between the type 6 and 7. Then the ribbon passes over the type 7, and then through a horizontal slot 16 in the signature block 8, thence over the type 9, and thence on to the ribbon spool 4:.

The type 6 are inked by inking rolls 17 and 18, which are seen at the left end of Fig. 2, this inking being accomplished as the type 6 pass under these inking rolls by the reciprocating bed. The signature 8 is inked by the inking roll 19, and in Fig. 2 the signature 8 is shown as about to pass under the inking roll 19.

2O designates an inking disk for supplying ink to the inking rolls 17 and 18, and as shown in Fig. 1, 21 is an inking disk for supplying ink to the inking roll 19. The inking disks 20 and 21 are rotated by mechanism not necessary to show or describe.

The inking rollers 1'7 and .18 are supported by devices, one of which is shown in Fig. 5, each support comprising a block 22, which has a longitudinal slot 23, which is slidable on a bar A thumb-screw 25 is provided for clamping the block in the desired position. The block 22 has a lug 26, with a bearing 27. A block 28 is provided with arms 29, which are pivoted at 30 to the block 22, and a spring 31 serves to normally press the. block 28 downward. in Fig. 5 the block is shown tilted upwardly for illustrative purposes. Thumb-screws 32 are provided in the block 28, and lug 26 to clamp the ends of shafts 33 of the inking rolls 17 and 18. As shown in Fig. 4, the shaft 33 has eccentric ends at and 35. The eccentric 34 is mounted in the block 28 and the eccentric 35 is mounted in block 28, on the other side of the machine. A thumb-piece 3G is provided on the end of the shaft 33, for turning the shaft 33 in its bearings. A sleeve 37 is arranged on the shaft 33, and mounted on the sleeve 37 is the inking roll 18. Alsomounted on sleeve 37 are rollers 33. In order to adjust the pressure of the inking roll 18 against the type, the thumbpiece 36 is turned in either direction to rotate shaft 33, and the latter being eccentric of the bearing in block 28, will adjust the height of the inking roller 18. This adjustment is made from one side of the machine only and when the proper adjustment is made the thumb-screw 32 is tightened to hold the shaft 33 in the position into which it is adjusted. As the eccentricity of the shaft 33 extends from the earing in one block 28, to the other block 28, the roller 18 will be adjusted equally throughout its length when the shaft 33 is adjusted. As the roller 18 may be adjusted from one end only it is unnecessary for the operator to reach across the machine in adjusting the roller, and after the roller has been once adjusted it does not need to be disturbed until further adjustment becomes necessary.

The roller 17 is adjustable by eccentric means similar to that of the roller 18 but roller 17 which is mounted in the fixed hearings 27, is not tilted in the operation of the machine, but the roller 18 which is mounted in the blocks 28 is tilted.

The rollers 38 are lifted by rails 39 when the rails are moved under the rollers by the reciprocating bed. As shown in Fig. 2, the tapered end 10 of the rail 39 is located slightly in advance of the ribbon 5, where the ribbon passes over the type 7 so that the tapered ends 40 of the rails 39 will strike the rollers 38 and lift the inking roll 18 so that the ribbon 5 can pass a short distance thereunder, or a distance suflicient to enable type 6 to pass completely under the roller 17 so that the type 6 will be completely inked by both rollers 17 and 18. As the bed travels in the opposite direction the rollers 18 will 7 ride down the inclined ends 40 of the rails be in inking position to ink the type 6 on the return motion of the bed and to also re ceive its supply of ink from the ink disk 20.

The inking roll 19, which is employed for inking the signature 8 is mounted in a manner similar to the inking roll 18, being supported in a tilting block 28 similar to that shown in Fig. 5. The rails 39 have an inclined end 41 down which the rollers 38 travel and permit the inking roll 19 to lower into inking position to ink the signature 8 when the bed moves to its position at the extreme right of Fig. 2. The position of the parts as therein shown, indicates the signature electrotype 8 just'commencing to pass under the inking roller 19, the inclined ends 11 of rails 39 just passing from under the rolls 38. When the electrotype 8 has moved entirely under the inking roller 19, the bed 1 of the printing machine will have reached its extreme position to the right and consequently the inking roller 19 will not be brought into contact with the ribbon 5 to the left side of the electrotype 8 so that it is not necessary to lift the inking roller 19 at this point and it therefore remains in inking position while the bed 1, chase, and form reverse their movement and carry the electrotype 8 back under the roller 19 so that itreceives asecond application of ink, and as soon as the inclined end 41 reaches the rolls 38 the inking roller 19 is again lifted out of printing position to clear the ribbon 5, and as soon as the inclined ends 12 of the rails 39 arrive at the rolls 38 they permit the inking roller 19 to descend into inking position so that the inking disk 21 in passing under will ink the inking roller 19.

It is obvious that if the type 9 which print the added matter below the signature are not used the ribbon 5 will not be held in projected position, and thus will clear the inking roller'19 so that under such circumstances it will not be necessary for the ink ing roller 19 to be lifted.

When the auxiliary roller 18 is used in conjunction with the regular roller 17, it is only necessary to lift the auxiliary inking roller 18 in order to clear the ribbon, for the reason that the stroke of the bed does not move the ribbon far enough to bring it under the inking roller 17.

When the printing machine is used for printing circulars, dodgers, or the like, the type being inked directly from inking rollers, no ribbon being used, I adjust the inking rollers to their extreme inner position, that is, I move the inking rollers toward each other as far as possible by sliding the blocks 22 on the bars 24. I also insert another inking roller 43 in the bearings27 at the right of Fig. 2 as indicated by dotted lines, and when the inking rollers are so adjusted the rollers 13 and 19 will ink onehalf of the form while the rollers 17 and 18 will ink the other half of the form, each set of two rollers making two applications of ink on the form.

Figs. 6 and 7 show the rotary form of printing machine equipped with the invention. In this form the type 50 are carried in grooves 51 in a cylinder 52. The cylinder 52 has a segmental cut away portion 53 forming an opening. The ribbon spools 54c and 55 are rotatably mounted within the cylinder 52, the ribbon spools being carried bodily by the cylinder, and are rotated by means not necessary to show or describe. 56 designates the ribbon which passes from spool 55 over the type 50, thence through a slot 57 in the wall of the cylinder 52 to the spool 54. The ribbon thus covers all type 011 the cylinder except the type 50 which lie 9 typewriter type, and be inked by the ribbon p 56, while the type 50 may be special grooved type, or an electrotype curved to conform to the cylinder, and used for printing the letter head of the letter. The type50 are inked directly by an inking roller 58 which is carried on a tilting block 28, similar to that previously described, there being two blocks 28, one at each side of the machine as shown in Fig. 6. The inking roller 58 is automatically raised to permit the ribbon 56 to pass thereunder at the proper interval by means of cams 59 which operate under rollers 38. The cams 59 have inclined ends 61 and 62 which permit the rollers 38 to descend to inking position or to ascend out of contact with ribbon 56. Any desired means may be employed for supplying ink to the inking roller 58. 63 designates the impression roller, the sheet to be printed being run through between the impression roller 63 and the cylinder 52 as the latter is rotated by means of crank 64, or the cylinder may be power driven if desired.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In a printing machine, reciprocating end thereof, a plurality of inking rollers near one end of the stroke of the form carrying means for applying ink from said rollers to the adjacent exposed portion of the form, means for automatically lifting the inking roller which lies nearest said form to permit the ribbon to pass thereunder without contacting with said nearest roller, and an inking roller near the other end oi the stroke of said tori'n carrying means for inking the eX- posed portion of the form adjacent to the latter roller.

2. in a printing machine, a form carrying means, a ribbon extending over the body portion of the 01111 and an end portion of the form and exposing the other end of the form and an intermediate portion of the form, an inking roller for directly inking the said eX- posed end of the form, an inking roller for directly inking the intermediate exposed portion. of the form, and means for automatically moving the latter roller to clear the ribbon on the end portion of the form when the ribbon passes under said roller in either direction.

3. In a printing machine, a bracket for supporting an inking roller, comprising a stationary block having a guide engaging slot in its lower face and formed with an upright lug provided with a bearing, a block having a pair of arms extending over oppo site sides of the stationary block and pivoted to the stationary block, the second block being provided with a bearing, and means for yieldingly holding said pivoted block in depressed position.

4. In a printing machine, a bracket for supporting an inking roller comprising a stationary block with a bearing, a block pivoted to the stationary block and provided with a bearing and means for yieldingly holding said pivoted block in depressed position, said first block having a slot in its lower portion, a guide bar extending through said slot, and a thumbscrew in said block for clamping the same adjustably on the guide bar.

In a printing machine, supporting brackets with bearings, a shaft with eccen tric ends mounted in said bearings, a sleeve on said shaft between said bearings, an inking roller on said sleeve and lifting rollers on the sleeve at the ends of the inking roller.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Les ringeles California, this 22nd day of May, 1911.

JOHN F. MAHLSTEDT.

In presence of G. T. HAoKLnY, GLADYs RUssELL.

Gopiea of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

